Lehigh Valley AVA

Lehigh Valley AVA
Wine region
TypeAmerican Viticultural Area
Year established2008[1]
CountryUnited States
Part ofPennsylvania
Sub-regionsLehigh Valley
Climate regionContinental
Precipitation (annual average)40-50"
Soil conditionsKarst and slate
Size of planted vineyards230 acres (93 ha)[2]
No. of vineyards12
Varietals producedCabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Riesling, Vidal blanc[2]
No. of wineries10[3]

The Lehigh Valley AVA is an American Viticultural area located in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The AVA includes portions of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon, and Monroe counties and the towns from Jim Thorpe to Easton, portions of the Schuylkill River Valley, the Brodhead Creek watershed in Monroe County and part of the Swatara Creek watershed to the west.

The wine region includes 230 acres (93 ha) of vineyards, planted to several Vitis vinifera and French-American hybrid grape varieties. The climate of Lehigh Valley has been compared to the cooler climates of Central and Northern Europe, favoring the production of French-American hybrid grapes, especially Chambourcin. Between fifteen and twenty percent of the wine produced in Pennsylvania is made from grapes grown in the Lehigh Valley AVA.[2]

The region has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb in higher areas) and the hardiness zone is 7a or 6b.

  1. ^ "§9.210 Lehigh Valley" (Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas). Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR). Retrieved February 5, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c Lauer-Williams, Kathy (April 17, 2008). "Lehigh Valley wineries earn recognition". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  3. ^ "Pennsylvania's Fastest Growing Wine Region". Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2008.